Thank you, Laurie. Add Readinglady to the list, she just lost her Dad the day after Thanksgiving, and a beloved cousin the week before that.

Annie

Laurie, thank you. I will admit that the last two weeks were a bit rough for me. I have been thinking of Mom, and Annies Dad, Karens sister, and all the others and I knew I wasn't alone.

Hugs to all feeling the empty spot in their hearts.

Peppi

That's so sweet of you, Laurie. Add Lou to that list. I haven't seen him post here lately, but he used to be quite active, and his wife passed away not too long ago.

Sally

Thank you, Laurie. Alice also lost a good friend last Thanksgiving. She was subdued as the anniversary arrived this year.

My good friend lost her brother to cancer this summer. I spent Thanksgiving with her. I know it was hard, because holiday time is most often spent with family, so that's when you can really miss them. Also, one of my good friends just lost her mother last week. I'm sure our loved ones would want us to treasure their memories but enjoy these times with the ones who are still here!

What a nice thread, Laurie. Thank you.

I think we all hold a special place in our hearts for lost loved ones at this time of the year and always.

So many of our CF friends have lost loved ones very recently and I have been thinking of all of them over the last several days. The first holiday, year, anniversary, etc. is always the toughest. Good thoughts and support going out to all of you.

Let's also keep in our hearts those whose parents, siblings, grandparents, friends and other family that passed many years ago and are still held very close in our hearts.

Time may heal the wound, but it never goes away.

Linda

Thank you for remembering ....Thanksgiving was so hard when the 28 of us sat we left Daddy & Mommy's head of the table chairs empty and boy we all took a deep breath prayed and shed a tear you could of heard a pin drop. Every day during this season is hard but Christmas eve and christmas day will be real hard. we opted not to go to my inlaws for the big Italian feast on the 24th instead John me and the 4 kids are going to my mom and dads house (where my sister lives) and we are going to sleep over. I need to be there and my sister needs me. I came in the other day and sat with a glass of wine and just starred at the Christmas tree remembering the laughter in that room and looking at ornaments that are over 60 years old. Mommy kept even the silliest ornaments that we made since the 50's (like the pill bottle i made into a snoopy ornments in kindergarten in 1970, my brothers ornament from kindergarten in 1953) Never realized that a Christmas Tree holds generations of happy loving memories...if that tree could talk! I sat watching the lights flicker and in the silence I could see my parents dancing to Jerry Vale and Jimmy Roselli....they did that all the time but especially after Christmas dinner and the grandkids (who are now in there 30's) would hold there legs and dance with them.....time passages!!!! Thanks I needed to write this Im on my way this morning to Pinelawn cemetary to lay there Grave Blanket for the first time they dance together again at Christmas!

Yes, thanks for remembering.

Eileen, I enjoyed hearing your remembrances.

I lost my father four years ago and then my mother this April. DH Joe lost his dad around the time as mine and then six weeks after my mother's passing, his mom unexpectedly died in June. So this is our first year as "orphans".

It is strange to now be the ones who are the oldest living generation and for the first time, I feel an odd connection with relatives past that I never even knew. I've inherited photos back to the mid 1800's and I can feel that I am part of a string of generations that is stretching out into the past.

I was blessed with loving caring parents who sacrificed and showed their love daily. When my father passed away, I told everyone that I had lost the one person in the world who thought that I was perfect. Sometimes people questioned this and asked about DH Joe or my mother and I would say that they KNEW I wasn't perfect!!! But I felt that I was perfect in my father's eyes. Strangely, my mother filled his shoes after his passing and I realized that she had the same faith in me even though it was sometimes hidden under motherly "concern"!

Whenever I make the turkey gravy, I feel my father with me and there is usually a sad moment or two at the stove. This was always his job at holiday time and he would carve a little turkey from a leg to add to to the gravy, walk around offering crispy skin on the carving fork to whoever would come in the kitchen, and stir and taste, I'd come in and he'd offer me a spoonful to check for salt....... the gravy always was perfect.... made with love! This year with my mother gone too will be rough. I keep thinking that I need to find a gift for her and then I remember....

Grace

Thank you Laurie, that was very sweet of you.

Thanks Laurie. It is always painful coping with the empty places at the table. The holidays bring on pain - but they do bring joy too. We learn to appreciate and be thankful for our family and friends...we make new friends. We all laugh(and cry sometimes) together. Thank you for the prayers - I always can use them. -maria